Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I have never had a concussion. Did I probably overexaggerate the symptoms of a concussIon? Yes, but it made for some great Hurt/Comfort, so I regret nothing.

Title: Little Brother

Summary: (Episode: Let's Open The Monster Heart) What if Ryan got a concussion when the monster broke the glass and almost hit Ryan? AU, Mainly focuses on Ryan and Mark

Ryan grunted as he struggled to keep the monster's humongous claws from attacking the robot's face, but it was a losing battle. His strength was fading rapidly, and he wouldn't be able to keep the claw at bay for long. He had the throw the monster off, but how?

Ryan frowned as the monster opened its mouth, and all time seemed to stop as something long and sharp slowly exited the monster's mouth. Ryan was left stunned and confused, wondering what the monster was doing and why the monster seemed so calm.

When Ryan was least expecting it, the spike came flying at him at lightning speed, and Ryan barely managed to duck out of the way as the spike pierced the glass of the robot's skull and missed Ryan's head by inches. Glass showered down on the technopath as he was suspended from the belt connecting him to the robot.

Ryan was prepared for shock, fear, surprise, and so much more, but he wasn't prepared for the agonizing pain that smacked him the face.

A cranium cracking pressure existed in his head. He felt like his brain had been stabbed by a fork, and his vision grew blurry before turning completely dark as he slipped into unconsciousness. Whether it was due to the pain, a brain injury (he was, after all, bonded to the robot, and the robot's brain had just been hit by the monster's claw), or both, Ryan didn't know, and he didn't have time to think about it before the world went black.

"Ryan, we have to get out of here!" Mark yelled.

Ryan didn't respond.

"Ryan, don't make me come down there!"

Nothing.

"Ryan!"

Nothing. Ryan swayed back and forth on the cords he hung from, his head hanging backwards at a weird angle. His body was limp, and his eyes were closed.

"Ryan!" Mark shouted as he jumped over the railing (feeling pain ignite in his foot when he landed, but the dull pain was the least of his worries) and ran towards his little brother. Harris rushed to hit the Return To Base button (it was basically a button that would return them to the junkyard if Ryan was ever unavailable in battle, like he was knocked out or too injured to control the robot. Mark had hoped they would never have to use it) before Spyder and Harris joined him at Ryan's side.

Mark unclipped the belt from Ryan's waist, and his unconscious little brother slumped forward into his arms.

Mark rolled Ryan over and wrapped his arm around Ryan's shoulders with his elbow under the boy's head to support it. His breath hitched when he clearly saw the trail of blood working its way down Ryan's face, starting at a deep but narrow cut on Ryan's forehead.

"Ryan?" Mark whispered, oblivious to the robot's movements stopping around him as they returned to the junkyard. "Ry-Guy?"

No response.

"Ryan?"

Nothing.

Mark felt a tear trickle down his face, and just when he began to fear that Ryan may never wake up, Ryan gave the weakest of coughs, and his eyelids fluttered open.

Mark smiled as he stared into Ryan's eyes, but he quickly frowned when he noticed how glazed over his brown eyes were, the disorientation painted across his face.

"Ryan?" Mark murmured.

A long moment- perhaps too long of a moment- passed before Ryan replied.

"M-Mark?"

Mark nodded. "Yeah. How are you feeling, baby bro?"

Another pregnant pause before Ryan licked his lips and responded.

"Hurts," he mumbled.

"Let's get him to the Infirmary," Harris suggested.

"It's going to be okay, Ryan," Mark assured his little brother before moving his left arm under Ryan's knees and keeping his right arm around Ryan's shoulders. He lifted Ryan off the ground with a clean jerk that his gym coach certainly would've been proud of.

Mark followed Harris to the Infirmary with Spyder trailing behind, and he rested his semi-conscious sibling on the bed in the center of the room. He kept his eyes fixed on Ryan as Harris began to hook Ryan up to several cords and machines; Mark sat beside Ryan and took his hand, looking at his brother in concern.

"How much does it hurt, Ryan?" Mark asked as Harris began checking Ryan's vitals.

Ryan swallowed. "A lot."

Mark nodded. "I thought so. Harris will find out what's wrong, and then, I'll take you home. You can rest, and I'll even let you pick the movie."

"His pulse is high, but his vitals check out," Harris stated. "Now, to run a few tests."

Harris picked up a small, thin flashlight and shined it in Ryan's eyes.

"Follow the light, Ryan," Harris ordered.

Mark watched as Ryan's eyes darted back and forth with the light, but his eyes always seemed to drift a little to the left of the flashlight, and the occasional flinch flickered across his face.

"What happened to me?" Ryan asked, his words slow and slurred.

Mark swallowed. Memory loss. That couldn't be good.

"A monster hit the robot with a spike. It almost hit you, but it missed. Still, you are bonded to the robot."

Ryan pursed his lips. "Right…" he finally muttered. "Mech… X… 4," he said, slowly, as though having forgotten the name.

Mark nodded, his concern growing.

Harris pulled out a plastic hammer, the one doctors used to test reflexes, and tapped Ryan's knee cap. A few seconds passed before Ryan's knee jerked.

Harris nodded and jotted down a few notes on a clipboard as he spoke.

"Temporary unconsciousness, memory loss, vision problems, sensitivity to light, slow and slurred speech, delayed reflexes… the symptoms indicate a concussion. He will need a doctor for an official diagnosis and monitoring while he recovers," Harris rattled off. "So we need to think of a convincing lie, and when we take him to the doctor, Mark, you need to watch what Ryan says. People with concussions don't usually monitor what they say, and we don't want him mentioning Mech X4 or his powers or any of that."

Mark nodded. "Okay. I'll drive," he offered.

Mark picked Ryan up once again and carried him to the elevator; Harris and Spyder, both looking almost as worried as Mark, stood beside him as they rocketed towards the ground while Mark tried to hold Ryan as still as possible.

The three boys stepped out of the robot and walked towards Mark's car; Mark placed Ryan in the passenger's seat while Harris and Spyder slid into the back seat.

Ryan mumbled, incoherently.

"Hey, Ry. How are you feeling?" Mark asked as he pulled out of the junk yard.

"Still hurts," Ryan breathed.

"I know, buddy, but we'll get you to the doctor, and you'll be just fine. Try to rest until then, okay, buddy?" Mark told him, taking a shaky breath as he drove as fast as he dared to the doctor's office.

The athlete pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed his and Ryan's doctor's number. Luckily, the man was more like a family friend than just their doctor.

"Dr. Charles's office," a cheerful female secretary chirped.

"Could you put Dr. Charles on the phone?" Mark asked.

"Of course. One moment, please."

For a few tense moments, Mark tried to keep his eyes on the road, but his eyes kept drifting to Ryan, who was asleep at this point.

"Dr. Charles," a male voice said.

"Dr. Charles, this is Mark Walker," Mark replied.

"Mark!" the man exclaimed. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, but Ryan isn't. We need an appointment today, as soon as possible," Mark told him.

"What's the problem?" the doctor asked with a slightly concerned tone.

"A head injury, possibly a concussion," Mark answered.

"Luckily, I don't have any more appointments today, so I can fit you right in," the doctor told him. "When will you be here?"

"Five minutes, maybe ten," Mark responded.

"See you then. Try to keep Ryan relaxed and make sure he doesn't move his head too much until you get here," the doctor ordered.

"Yes, Dr. Charles. Thank you."

Mark hung up before dialing his mom's number.

"Mark," she sighed as she answered the phone, "I'm in the middle of-"

"Ryan's hurt!" Mark blurted, unable to contain the statement any longer.

"What?" his mother demanded.

"He has a head injury, maybe a concussion. I made an appointment with Dr. Charles. I should be there in five to ten minutes. Can you meet us there?" Mark asked.

"Of course. I'll be there soon," his mother replied before hanging up.

"Mommy?" Ryan murmured, sounding more child like than Mark had heard him sound in years, as Mark replaced his phone in his pocket.

Mark nodded. "Yeah. Mom will be there, Ryan."

Ryan gave a weak smile.

Mark pulled up in front of the doctor's office, and he got out of the car, followed by Harris and Spyder. He picked Ryan up, and Harris shut the car door behind him as Mark walked straight through the automatic sliding doors.

"Mark," Dr. Charles said as he walked over to them. He quickly examined Ryan's head before nodding and gesturing to a nearby hallway. "Come on back."

"We'll wait here," Spyder told Mark, who nodded, and entered the nearest room after Dr. Charles.

Mark laid his baby brother down on the table, listening to the crinkle of the thin paper covering the pad on top of the wooden frame.

Dr. Charles performed some of the same tests Harris did and then some others. Just as he was withdrawing some bandages from a nearby cupboard, Ms. Walker entered the room.

"What happened?" she asked as she knelt by Ryan's bed side.

Ryan blinked. "Mom?" he murmured.

She nodded. "Yeah, baby. It's me."

"We were playing basketball, and he tripped and hit his head," Mark lied. He felt guilty lying to his mom, but he'd feel even more guilty if he told her and put her in danger.

His mom nodded. "How are you feeling, kiddo?"

"Hurts," he answered.

"He has a mild concussion," the doctor informed her as he cleaned the wound on Ryan's head. "I'll give you a list of symptoms, some pain medication, and a few instructions on how to speed up the healing process. He should be mostly normal within two to three weeks, and all of his symptoms will disappear within two to three months. If you have any problems, call me or bring him in."

Mark's mom nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Charles."

"No problem," Dr. Charles replied. "I hope he feels better."

Mark helped his weak little brother stand, and he slung an arm around Ryan's waist as they walked out of the room and into the waiting room.

"Is he going to be okay?" Harris asked, eyeing the bandaged covering Ryan's forehead.

Mark nodded. "It's a mild concussion, but he should be mostly okay in two to three weeks. His concussion will be completely gone within the next few months."

Mark glanced at his mom to make sure she wasn't listening before leaning down and whispering to Harris.

"We'll figure out what to do about Mech X4 a little later. Start exploring it a little. There has to be a way to control it manually until Ryan's well enough to operate it," Mark told Harris and Spyder, who both nodded.

Mark turned to Ryan. "You'll be okay, little brother. You'll be okay."

Mark wasn't sure who he was trying to convince: Ryan or himself.

"Thanks for helping me," Ryan murmured.

Mark smiled as he rested Ryan in the back seat of the car and crawled into the car beside him.

"You're welcome," Mark replied.

Ryan swallowed. "You're the best big brother ever."

Mark laughed. "I am pretty awesome, aren't I?"

Ryan nodded. "The awesomest."

Mark chuckled. "I like this Ryan."

"Of course you do," his mother giggled. "He's praising you."

"I know! I can't believe it," Mark gasped.

"Neither can I," his mother admitted.

Mark carried Ryan (seriously, when did his brother get so light? It didn't look like it, but Ryan weighed less than Harris!) into the boy's bedroom and rested his brother on the bed.

"I meant it," Ryan said, randomly.

Mark frowned. "What do you mean?"

"When I said you were the best big brother ever," Ryan clarified. "You're brave. Protective. Loyal. Awesome. And… and… lots more! Lots, lots more!"

Mark was astonished. Ryan never complimented him, much less so many times in a row.

"Thank you," Ryan added.

Mark found himself frowning once again. "For what?"

"Everything," Ryan answered. "I don't tell you that enough."

Mark swallowed. "I should be thanking you…" Mark trailed off as he realized that Ryan was already asleep.

Mark smiled as he grabbed the edge of the comforter and covered Ryan's body with it, watching as his slumbering brother snuggled into the covers and fell into a deep sleep.

"For being the best little brother I could ever ask for," Mark finished before exiting the room.

"Mark!"

Mark literally fell off of his bed and scrambled to his feet before following the fearful yelling and the crying and running into Ryan's room.

"Ryan? Ryan, what's wrong?" Mark rushed to ask as he sat beside his brother.

Ryan was covered with a thick sheen of sweat, and his chest was falling and rising at a frighteningly rapid pace. He was shaking, and his face was soaked with tears.

"What's wrong?" Mark repeated.

"Monster," Ryan breathed. "It-It hurt you. You-You weren't breathing, and I didn't know what to do."

Nightmare. Of course. After the beast that attacked that day, Mark would probably have nightmares, too.

Mark wrapped his arms around Ryan and pressed the boy's head against his chest. While the near panic attack Ryan was having wasn't a direct symptom of his concussion, it probably wasn't helping the concern worthy injury either.

"Ryan, I'm right here," Mark murmured. "I'm okay. You're okay. We're here. Together. Okay?"

Ryan nodded.

Mark nodded. "I love you, baby bro."

Ryan, in his half asleep state, mumbled, "Not a baby."

"Of course not," Mark laughed. "You're a big boy!"

Ryan groaned, jokingly, and weakly slapped Mark's chest.

Mark chuckled. "Go to sleep, Ry-Guy."

Mark went to stand, but he was pulled back when Ryan latched onto his hand, and he turned around to stare into his brother's nervous eyes.

"Stay with me?" Ryan begged.

Mark was surprised. He was seeing a vulnerable side of Ryan he hadn't seen since Ryan was… what? Seven? Maybe eight? At that point, Ryan started acting more grown up, a little too grown up for Mark's liking, considering the young boy wasn't even ten years old yet. But while this vulnerable side worried him, it also comforted him because it meant Ryan still needed him. At times, Mark felt like Ryan didn't need him as much as he used to, but this vulnerable side revealed that that was so far from the truth. Ryan still needed him, still needed to rely on him, still needed his big brother.

Honestly, Mark wasn't sure whether to be worried about the concussion or smile because Ryan needed him for something besides Mech X4.

Mark sighed and laid down beside Ryan.

"I'll stay," he told his brother.

Ryan nodded. "Thank you."

Mark smiled. "You're welcome."

Ryan quickly drifted off to sleep while Mark wrapped an arm around the smaller boy, and Mark listened to Ryan's breathing. He found something oddly comforting in the even breaths Ryan drew in and released. He found something oddly comforting (or not so oddly) in the fact that Ryan was breathing.

Mark was so busy staring at Ryan and listening to him breathe that he didn't notice their mother standing at the doorway, smiling at the sweet image before her. He also didn't notice as she took a picture with her cell phone before shutting the bedroom door.

Mark smiled as he was able to think clearly for the first time that day.

He was alive. Harris and Spyder were alive. Ryan was alive. Ryan had gotten hurt, but he was alive, and that was all Mark could ask for. Ryan was alive, and Mark would make sure that he stayed that way.

Mark brushed his hands through Ryan's hair (and later, after Ryan was better, Mark would look back on this moment and think oh, no, he's becoming his mother!) and he continued to listen to the almost delicate breathing of his sibling.

"I'm going to protect you, little brother," Mark whispered. "I love you too much to lose you. I will protect you with everything I have. I promise."

Well... That happened. I know Ryan is majorally out of character, but he does have a concussion and is severely disorientated. Like I said, I probably overexaggerated the symptoms of the concussion, but I love Mark and Ryan bonding, so I regret nothing! Thank you for reading! Have a nice day!